Ethiopia: Clan fight left 23 dead in Afar

ESAT News (May 4, 2017)

Twenty-three Afaris and two soldiers were killed in a two-day long deadly fight between two clans in Afar.

The Ablek Ad’ali and Sidiha Bura clans have reportedly fought over a territory that was slated by the regime for a sugar development project.

President of the Afari Human Rights Commission blames the regime for inciting the deadly fight. Gass Ahmed says the deforestation and sugar plantation project in Ambi Bara and Dulecha was carried out without the consent of either clans and authorities were giving conflicting information to the locals as to the ownership of the land and who benefits from the project.

Ahmed accused that federal forces intervened after two days of fight between the two clans claimed the lives of 23. Two soldiers were killed in a shootout with the clans.

A similar fight last year this month between the two clans left 25 dead on both sides.